Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-05-12

came to Front Royal. At this point, and be-
tween him and Banks at Strasburg, lay
Col Kenly, with 400 Federal troops IL
jackson could annihilate this force the con-
nection between the armies OF Banks and Nc
Dowell would be broken.
Accordingly, May %, he made fierce at
tack on Col. Kenly's little band at Front
Royal and cut it to pieces. This was the
third battle Of the Shenandoah campaign.
There was nothing now between Stonewall
jackson and Banks
Banks retreated with his small force yet
farther north lie left Strasburg and started
for Winchester.
1t was now a race and chase between
Banks and jackson to the Potomac. If Jack
son paused till the forces of Fremont or Nc
Dowell could come up he would be cut to
pieces He therefore determined to push on,
surround Banks if possible and destroy his
army before it could be REINFORCED. He pur-
sued Banks hotly, and once more the old town
of Winchester became the scene Of a fight,
the fourth In the campaign. Banks kept back
for several hours the advancing Confederates
This was May "a and 25 But the southern
soldiers poured in in larger and larger num-
bers. There was nothing but to run for it.
From Winchester Banks retreated To
Martinsburg He only waited here two
hours, when he was up and away again. At
sunset, May 25, Banks reached the Potomac
river at Williamsport.
To get on the Maryland side of the river
was the next thing. The broken army had
retreated i'll confusion, leaving great quanti-
ties OF stores behind them. Jackson had lit
orally driven them into the Potomac. Into
the river they plunged The ferry took across
the ammunition train, the cavalry swan
their horses, the wagon trains crossed by the
ford and the infantry were conveyed over by
means of pontoon bridge, which had been
brought down the valley from the upper
Shenandoah.
At last the remnant of Gen. Banks broken
army was oil across, just in time, for at that
moment Jackson appeared opposite on the
Virginia side of the Potomac.
"Never were more grateful hearts in the
same number of men than when at midday
on the Goth we stood on the opposite Shore"
said Gen. Banks afterward.
Gen. Banks was so deeply chagrined at his
forced retreat that he is said TO have she'd
tears over it. He declared that he had been
sacrificed by his government, that had
stripped him of Shields division and then left
him to meet Stonewall Jackson with less than
a third the number of the Confederate
troops.
On May "a jackson rested one day and had
religious service performed in camp, in which
he gave thanks to God for the victory of the
southern arms. He had marched from his
camp south of Luray in three days a distance
of sixty miles, and had fought two battles ON
the way.
May "a there was panic in Washington
when it became known that Banks was re-
treating to the Potomac with Jackson after
him full tilt. Jackson's Shenandoah cam
paign probably prevented the capture of
Richmond by Mcclellan in the summer OF
1862 Mcdowell was al fredericksburg with
10000 men under orders 10 cooperate with
and finally join Mcclellan before Richmond.
Tho defeat Of Milroy aud the chase OF Banks
down the Shenandoah shattered at one stroke
the plans in front Of Richmond. President
Lincoln tclcgraphed Mcdowell May "a to put
10000 men in motion for the Shenandoah
valley at once. Mcdowell obeyed reluctantly.
lie wrote the president: al have heavy
heart in the matter foel that it throws us
NIL back, and from Richmond north We shah
have all our large masses paralyzeG."
Jackson had driven Banks down and out Of
the Shenandoah valley and marched his army
almost into the very teeth Of Washington.
But the now thoroughly aroused Union armies